• Former megachurch pastor John Pavlovitz declares supporters of President Trump cannot be “good people.”
• Pavlovitz’s Substack post lists alleged wrongs tied to Trump’s leadership and his base of support.
• Critics accuse Pavlovitz of conspiracy thinking and overlooking biblical teaching on human goodness.

RALEIGH, N.C. (TDR) — John Pavlovitz, the outspoken former youth pastor of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, reignited controversy with a blistering essay on his Substack, The Beautiful Mess, targeting President Donald Trump’s supporters. In a post titled “No, Good People Don’t Still Support Him”, accompanied by a stark presidential image, Pavlovitz argued that moral integrity is incompatible with loyalty to the current president.

A Moral Indictment of Trump’s Base

Pavlovitz dismissed the notion that one can back President Trump while remaining virtuous. He cataloged alleged abuses — from immigration crackdowns to the firing of public health officials — framing them as actions no “good person” would endorse. He accused Trump of empowering white supremacist groups, dismantling environmental protections, and fostering authoritarianism.

“But this President is not a good human being,” Pavlovitz declared. “Objectively speaking, he is the very worst humanity has produced, a moral bottom-feeder without scruples or decency.”

Longstanding Criticism of Trump

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This essay was not Pavlovitz’s first public clash with Trump. In 2017, he wrote that Donald Trump should stop being called a Christian, a stance that cost him his job in evangelical ministry but cemented his influence in progressive church circles. He has openly supported LGBTQ rights and branded himself a “radical woke leftist,” earning both admiration and scorn.

More recently, Pavlovitz claimed the 2024 election was rigged, asserting without evidence that Trump could not have won seven swing states. Critics accused him of substituting “gut feelings” for data, with one columnist noting his reliance on “vibes” over statistics.

Biblical Paradox

Ironically, Pavlovitz’s condemnation of Trump’s backers echoes a biblical principle he may not have intended. In Mark 10:17-18, Jesus rejects being called “good,” stating, “There is none good but one, that is, God.” This passage underscores that moral perfection is unattainable for all — Trump supporters and his fiercest critics alike.

By invoking moral absolutes, Pavlovitz positions himself in a theological paradox: condemning a group on moral grounds while Scripture affirms universal moral fallibility. For supporters of President Trump, the essay will be read as yet another volley in America’s ongoing culture wars.

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Does Pavlovitz’s rhetoric spark constructive debate, or does it deepen America’s moral and political divide?

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